Senior Assessment Officer – Cash & Markets

BACKGROUND ON IMPACT AND REACH

REACH was born in 2010 as a joint initiative of two International NGOs (IMPACT Initiatives andACTED) and the United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT). REACH’s purpose is to promote and facilitate the development of information products that enhance the humanitarian community’s decision making and planning capacity for emergency, reconstruction and development contexts. REACH facilitates information management for aid actors through three complementary services: (a) need and situation assessments facilitated by REACH teams; (b) situation analysis using satellite imagery; (c) provision of related database and (web)-mapping facilities and expertise.

IMPACT Initiatives is a humanitarian NGO, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The organisation manages several initiatives, including the REACH Initiative. The IMPACT team comprises specialists in data collection, management and analysis and GIS. IMPACT was launched at the initiative of ACTED, an international NGO whose headquarter is based in Paris and is present in thirty countries. The two organizations have a strong complementarity formalized in a global partnership, enabling IMPACT to benefit from ACTED’s operational support on its fields of intervention.

We are currently looking for a Senior Assessment Officer to support our team in Sudan.

Department:REACH

Position: Senior Assessment Officer

Contract duration:12 months

Location: Sudan, initially based in Nairobi or Kampala

Starting Date: ASAP

COUNTRY PROFILE

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on 15 April 2023. Fighting has been concentrated in densely populated urban centres, starting in Khartoum but quickly spreading across the country. These clashes have triggered waves of forced displacement, both internally as well as to neighbouring countries, including Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan. The operating environment for humanitarian actors has also been constrained due to insecurity.

This latest crisis comes amidst a complex and protracted humanitarian context in Sudan, with 15.8 million people estimated to be in need – the highest in a decade – prior to these events. The country faces persistent environmental risks, including recurrent flooding events, droughts, and locust invasions, in addition to widespread food insecurity and economic challenges. Prolonged internal displacement, high refugee caseloads, and continual pockets of inter-communal conflict further exacerbate needs and vulnerabilities.

Through its REACH initiative, IMPACT has been present in Sudan since 2020, providing humanitarian actors with up-to-date data and analysis on existing needs through a first country-wide Multi-sectoral Needs Assessment. Following the recent outbreak in violence between the SAF and RSF, IMPACT is mobilising an emergency response in Sudan and neighbouring countries, to provide decision makers with rapid analysis of conditions on the ground.

FUNCTIONS

Under the line management of the IMPACT Country Coordinator / Representative or his/her delegates in

Sudan, the Senior Assessment Officer is responsible for the implementation of IMPACT’s research cycles in Sudan, including the preparation, data collection, analysis, drafting, dissemination and evaluation stages. Throughout research cycles, the Senior Assessment Officer engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. He/she also ensures an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation. This can include the direct supervision of assessment teams.

In his/her mission, the Senior Assessment Officer will be hosted by IMPACT’s global partner ACTED and will fall under the direct responsibility and management of ACTED’s Country Director and his/her delegates for all Administrative, Security, and relevant Logistics and Finance issues. S/he will therefore fully abide to ACTED’s Security, Administration, and relevant HR, Logistics and Finance rules and regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision of the senior research manager, the senior assessment officer is responsible for the management and implementation of REACH cash and markets assessments in Sudan, including their preparation, implementation and follow-up. Leading the cash and markets team, they will oversee the coordination of Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), as well as ad-hoc market assessments.

Throughout research cycles, the senior assessment officer engages with partners to promote their participation and maximize their impact. S/he also ensures an efficient and transparent use of resources required for project implementation. S/he will also be responsible for related logistics, partner coordination, and reporting and finance requirements. He/she directly supervises junior assessment staff and will be required to provide input to the strategic development of cash and markets unit in Sudan.

More specifically the senior assessment officer is responsible for the following:

MANAGEMENT OF ALL SUDAN CASH AND MARKET RESEARCH CYCLES:

• Ensuring that all assessments are planned in line with relevant project and program objectives and with REACH’s research cycle and other relevant guidelines;
• Ensure that required secondary data analysis has been conducted in preparation of an assessment;
• For each assessment, develop ToRs and ensure thorough review of ToRs before they are sent to

Geneva for validation and ensure that ToRs are validated by HQ before any data collection begins;

• Ensure that ToRs are understood and used by assessment staff and stakeholders, and updated as required; Compose and construct, in close coordination with GIS and data management team, qualitative and quantitative data collection tools; ensure engagement with GIS teams on GIS requirements of research cycle/assessment;
• Keep track of progress and delays of all assigned assessment throughout the research cycle. Ensure that delays or identified challenges for specific assessments are reported in writing and orally in a timely manner;
• Ensure relevant stakeholders and partners are engaged in assessment design and planning.
• Ensuring wherever possible cash and markets research practices and tools are standardized between countries to ensure best practices and efficiencies. These opportunities should be detailed in a highlevel cash and markets strategy.
• Ensuring the writing of timely and accurate assessment reports and factsheets with integration of cluster and/or partner feedback;
• Under the direction of the senior research manager, engage in the dissemination of research products, including through articles, IMPACT social media contents, targeted e-mails, presentations, meetings, etc, in line with IMPACT Dissemination and External Communication Guidelines and Research ToRs;
• Ensure that lessons learned are gathered and documented at the end of each research cycle;
• Support the senior research manager to conduct monitoring and evaluation as specified in the research ToRs and in line with IMPACT Guidelines.
• Support the Assessment officers and Field Officers of to implement all aspects of the cash and markets projects;
• Develop and maintain a work plan for cash and markets unit and conduct regular follow-up of the work plan, identify and address any delays in a timely and effective manner;

MANAGEMENT OF ASSESSMENT TEAM AND FIELD ASSESSMENT TEAM

• Conduct regular meeting with junior assessment team members and other team members of the cash and markets team to assess progress in all research cycles and to review work plan;
• Bilateral management of junior assessment team members, including (in consultation with the senior research manager the conduct of appraisals, as well as participation in staff career management;
• In coordination with the senior research manager, conduct induction for new staff members, including training in basic technical competencies for assessment design, implementation and analysis;
• Support the country senior management in the development and implementation of capacity training plans for REACH assessment and field team member;
• Be available to provide regular support and technical backstopping;
• When relevant, support/ lead staff appraisal and recruitment process in collaboration with the senior management.

PROJECTS CYCLE MANAGEMENT FOR THE CASH AND MARKETS TEAM

• Support the REACH senior management in drafting of relevant funding proposals and budgets;
• Support the senior management in conducting budget follow-ups for the cash and markets unit projects including providing budget forecasts for upcoming assessments.
• Provide inputs in relevant donor and partner reports for the cash and markets unit in close coordination with the senior management.
• Before project start, ensure the organization of a kick off meeting and the availability of key project management documentations to plan the efficient use of assets, financial and human resources;
• In close coordination with line management, finance and grants colleagues, monitor and regularly update the use of assets, financial and human resources, in full compliance with REACH’s guidelines; this includes maintaining an oversight of budget availability and expenditure for assessment activities;
• Contribute to the strategy development of the cash and markets unit for Sudan

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• Ensure that relevant partners are consulted and involved at all stages of research cycle: assessment preparation; data collection; data analysis; review of research products; product dissemination; and lessons learnt;
• Represent REACH in relevant meetings/ working groups including Cash working groups;
• Be the REACH focal point in the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) Workstream of the Sudan Cash working group in close coordination with the co-chair of the Workstream.
• Present REACH assessment findings in relevant external meetings and forums.
• Follow up on issues identified by partners or during meetings / working groups;
• Promote an active use of datasets and research findings by partners and the broader humanitarian community for their decision making;
• Ensure that all partner engagement and all external relations are clearly documented and communicated with the line manager and relevant colleagues; and
• More generally, contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the application of REACH’s mandate, ethics, values and stand-point with regard to other actors.

INTERNAL COORDINATION

• Actively participate in regular team meetings;
• Ensure regular coordination and exchange with relevant colleagues;
• Engage in the development and implementation of IMPACT’s strategy in (country).

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION

The Senior Assessment Officer will maintain the strictest confidentiality on all data collected and related processes, ensuring full compliance with IMPACT’s data protection policy and SOPs. He/she will actively take measures to prevent the unauthorized sharing of any information and data belonging to IMPACT and its partners, or collected during his/her assignment with IMPACT.

REQUIREMENTS

• Academic Excellent academic qualifications, preferably including a Master degree in relevant discipline;
• Research skills Masters and proven experience with complex research methods. Excellent analytical skills – experience in cash and market-related assessments a plus
• Software skills Proven knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, to include Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Advanced skills in R, SPSS and/or STATA or other statistical analysis software are an advantage; Experience with InDesign an asset.
• Familiarity aid system Familiarity with the aid system and cash assistance in humanitarian contexts is required;
• Years of work experience At least 3 years of relevant working experience preferably in research and/or humanitarian field;
• Experience with cash assistance; Experience working in information management or assessments for cash and markets is required;
• Management skills Proven team management experience and skills; ability to build assessment capacity of team through training and mentoring
• Communication/reporting skills Excellent communication and drafting skills for effective reporting;
• Multi-tasking skills Ability to multitask with tight deadlines, on numerous research cycles;
• Level of independence Proven ability to work independently;
• Cross-cultural work environment Ability to operate in a cross-cultural environment requiring flexibility;
• Experience in geographical region Past experience in the region is desirable;
• Language skills Fluency in English required, competency in Arabic an asset;
• Security environment Ability to operate in a complex and challenging security environment

CONDITIONS

• For this position, salary between 2’580 CHF and 2’640 CHF monthly (before income tax), etc as well as a monthly living allowance of 300 USD NB – IMPACT salaries are strictly determined by our salary grid depending on the grade of the position and the level of education of staff. A location-dependent security and/or isolation adjustment is then applied as a recognition that some staff are required to work in difficult places where living and working conditions are much more difficult than elsewhere.
• Accommodation and food provided in the guesthouse.
• Enrolment in Swiss private pension fund (Swisslife – approx. 9.975% of staff gross salary), health insurance, life insurance and repatriation assistance.
• Flight tickets every 6 months & visa fees covered (in-country travel costs and professional expenses are fully covered).
• Contribution to the luggage transportation: between 20 and 100 kgs, depending on the length of the contract (+ luggage and personal property insurance)
• Annual leave of 36 days per year. Public holidays of the country of assignment. Family/compassionate leave when applicable.
• Predeparture induction – 3 days at IMPACT Initiatives’s HQ in Geneva + one week pre-departure training in ACTED HQ in Paris, including a 4-days in situ security training;
• IMPACT prioritizes the psychological safety of its staff and the health insurance provided covers, among others, up to 1000 € per year of psychosocial counselling fees.